Cayo northeast constituents say that they are being bribed by the U.D.P.

Francis Fonseca

At Tuesday’s press conference, the P.U.P. also disclosed that voters are reporting that inducements are being offered by the ruling party not to sign a recall petition.  Likewise, there are threats of victimization should they support the recall of the area representative Elvin Penner. Opposition Leader, Francis Fonseca, pointed out that voters in the constituency have been approached and bribed by members of the U.D.P. and, in some cases, even intimated into abstaining from the ongoing petition.

Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition

“The victimization is real.  The intimidation is real on the ground and there is, there are outright inducements to encourage people not to sign the recall petition and we have been trying to document those activities wherever people are given inducements.  We try to document that, it is against the law.  The entire recall legislation provides for that, that it is against the law for anybody to provide any inducement for any person to sign or not to sign the petition so we are documenting that.  And in terms of victimization, you know, we are appealing to the people of Cayo Northeast to stand up and we are saying despite of the victimization, in the face of the victimization, because of the victimization you have to stand up, take a stand on behalf of the community.  And I think more and more people are doing just that, more and more people are saying, “listen, they’ve come here to threaten me.”  Landy pointed out we have several cases where the UDP operatives have gone into homes and threaten the people that we will take away your land, your scholarships etc. etc. and those very same people then turn around and call his office and say listen and tell them what’s happening.  Because of that I am more inclined to sign the petition.  So we find a lot more of that happening.  People are standing up, they are refusing to be victimized, refusing to be bullied and we think that that is a good thing.  We are saying to those people we will be there for you.  We will support you and we will try to protect you as much as possible from that kind of ongoing victimization.”